Envelope opening machine



Nov. 5, 1940.

L. W. LAWRENCE. ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1940 MG Q:

L3H w all w/ 2/ T p a K INVENTOR. lean Wl czwrence BY 4 m z; 1 Zia ATTORNEYS NOV. 5, 1940. w LAWRENCE I 2,220,251

ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE I Filed Feb. 10, 19-40 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Wlazureme ATTORNEYS" Patented Nov. '5, 1940 ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE- Leon W. Lawrence, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Bircher Co. Inc., Rochester, N. Y, a. corporation of New York Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,306

14 Claims.

This invention relates to envelope opening machines, and, more especially, to the parts of such machines for guiding, preparing and presenting the work to the cutting mechanism, one object of the invention being to provide an iming the work as it is fed over bed l to the cutting mechanism.

The cutting mechanism preferably comprises a pair of coacting, rotating disk cutters l9 and 2!] (Figs. 2 and 3), having substantially the conproved machine of the above character capable struction disclosed in the patent to Keiser, No. 5 of efliciently handling an envelope and its con- 1,838,840. The lower disk 20 is fixed on a shaft tents of materially greater thickness than those 2|, rotating and having a longitudinal adjustwhich such machines have heretofore been able ment in suitable bearings in the walls of the m to successfully manipulate. main frame. This disk and its shaft are rotated Another ob ect is the provision of improved by driving means hereinafter descrlbed, and are presser foot means for aligning, conditioning, adjusted by any known or suitable device, by a and feeding envelopes of substantial thickness to a d e 22, preferably of the construction a d the cutting mechanism, so that but a thin edge Ope atio disclosed in detail in said Letters n strip is severed to open the envelope, without Palllflla No. 1,338,340, f t D D E Of adjustin injury to th c ntent dis toward or from guide means I8, so as to Still another object is to provide such pressure Va y, from Coarse t0 fi t e Width 0f the p loot means of a more articulate nature, capable cut from the envelopes. Disk has the front of a more sensitive and automatic response to eeof i s p rip y beveled. to produce a Sharp and. control over envelopes of varying thickness cutting edge lying in the plane of its rear face, for 20 and bulk of contents. cooperation with the upper disk 19.

To these and other ends the invention resides e uppe d s is has the real edge Of s in certain improvements and combinations of periphery beveled t0 term a Sharp Cutting edge parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully dein the plane of its forward face which overlap scribed, the novel features being pointed out in and presses against the periphery of the rear 25 the claims at the end of the specification. face of disk 20, to for a Cutting pair. Disk Hi In t drawings; is fixed on a shaft 23 rotatable and adjustable Fig 1 is a plan View of a machine embodylongitudinally in bearings in the walls of the ing t present invention; main frame and preferably having its outer end 2 is a front elevation of the same; hOno'Wed, as at to receive Suitable Fig 3 is an enlarged View f cutting mechaspring actuated means 25 for resiliently urging nism and other parts Shown in Fig 2 partly the shaft forwardly to maintain its disk H3 in broken away and partly ection; Springd meafns giayhbe Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the 0 any nown 5111 a e 5799 an pre era Y as 33 Dresser f t devices and other portions, partly the construction and operation described in de- 35 in Section as Viewed from the line in tail in said Patent No. 1,838,840. Disk l9 and its Fig 2; shaft are rotated by the frictional engagement Fig. 5 is an elevation of some of the same parts l g fifi i gz gggsi gg g i zg sz 5 3; r-

gi i gg z g s ifi g gf' t 25 2 tend to draw the work in its direction of feed 40 in Fig. 5. and assist the action of the feeding means.

The ame reference numerals throughout the The feedmg means preferably compnses an Y t a t endless belt 26, or rubber or the like, preferably .uews t e e t r of the construction disclosed in the patent to The f l5 t the i Keiser, No. 1,667,120. This belt is carried by 45 t m a letter Openmg machme compnsmg pulleys preferably arranged substantially as dis- & mam supportmg and housmg frame (Flgs' closed in the patent to Taylor, No. 1,182,054, that 1 and 2) of generally rectangular hollow Shape is, this feed belt is carried by spaced pulleys, 21 with a front wall H, side walls l2 and I3, and a and 23 (Figs 1 and 2) so positioned that t rear wall [4. The forward portion of the top of upper rfa of the roject upwardly 50 frame it carries a horizontal work bed l5, while through a slot 29 i th rk b d (Fi s, 1 nd 4) the rearward portion comprises a vertically pro- Pulley 21 is fixed on and rotated by shaft 2| of flee frame Wall 15 (Figs- 1 and 4) to which s cutter disk 2!], this pulley being preferably alined secured, as by means of screws such as I 1, a substantially parallel with guide'plate i8. Pulley vertical work guide means, or plate, l8, for guid- 28 is fixed on a shaft 30 rotating in suitable hearings in the walls of the main frame and arranged to position the pulley at a greater distance from and at an appreciable angle to guide plate l8, so that the upper feeding surface of the belt not only approaches the guide plate as it moves toward the cutting mechanism, but has also a turning or twisting motion about its own longitudinal axis, as described in said Patents No. 1,182,054 and No. 1,667,120, so that its upper surface has a transverse twisting movement toward the guide plate l8, as an additional means for preparing and presenting the work to the cutting mechanism.

The presser foot devices embodying the present invention comprise a pair of separate presser devices 3| and 32, preferably in the nature of shoes, for applying resiliently yieldable pressure to the upper face of the work, to press it into contact with the feeding belt and associated devices, for feeding, guiding, and conditioning the envelope for presentation to the cutting mechanism. These shoes are mounted independently, substantially abreast each other at their forward ends, one on each side of the feed belt.-

Shoe 3| is located on the outer or forward side of the belt adjacent its point of first engagement with the work, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, This shoe is a relatvely short one, preferably about an inch long and is relieved at its ends, particularly its forward end 33 (Figs. 4 and 5), to facilitate engagement with the work and to form an intermediate, substantially pointed part 34 projecting downwardly for initial engagement with the envelope at the beginning of its feeding movement Portion 34 serves to hold back and separate the overlying envelopes from the lowermost one to be fed. It serves also as a fulcrum or pivot for yieldably resisting the feeding movement of the advancing edge of the envelope on the side of the belt opposite the guide plate |8, with the result that the feeding impulse imparted to the envelope by the belt at a point nearer the guide plate, tends to turn or swing the envelope to press its rear edge against the guide plate. This is i1- lustrated in a somewhat exaggeratedway in Fig. 1, where the envelope is shown in dotted lines in an initial, angular position 35, prior to being swung, as described, to its correct feeding position 36. The inner side 31 of shoe 3|, adjacent the feeding belt, is preferably rounded, as shown in Fig. 4, to conform it to the belt and to the function of pressing the work thereagainst' Shoe 3| is yieldably supported and guided, preferably by shank means (Fig. 5) comprising a pair of shanks 38 and 39 projecting upwardly from its top and slidably mounted in bearings in the walls of a supporting means, or auxiliary housing, 40, fixed, as by means of screws 4|, on the upwardly projecting wall l6 of the main frame (Figs. 1 and 2) and on a bracket 42 extending upwardly therefrom. Shank 38 is extended through the upper wall also of housing 43 and carries a coiled compression spring, 43, thrusting against said upper wall to apply resiliently yieldable pressure to the shoe toward the work, limited by an adjusting nut 44 threaded on its upper end for contact with said housing wall. It will thus be seen that shoe 3| is maintained in position for engagement with the work, but has an independent, resilient, upward yielding movement to an extent depending upon the thickness of the work fed under it by the belt.

The complementary presser shoe 32 is relatively longer and is substantially relieved at its forward end, as at 45, to locate that portion of its active face above the point 34 of shoe 3|, so as not to interfere with the initial action of the latter on the work. This relieving of shoe 32 is carried gradually back to a point 46 in rear of shoe 3|. From point 45 rearwardly, shoe 32 has its active face 41 disposed substantially parallel with the work bed and the path of movement of the work, and this portion is continued substantially to the cutting mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2, to maintain a pressure on the envelope to assist in conditioning and presenting its inner edge to the cutting mechanism. The edge 48 of shoe 32, adjacent the feed belt, is preferably rounded, as shown, to conform it to the belt and the work fed thereby, and also to facilitate the movement of the upper face of the envelope thereunder toward the guide means, as well as to aid in displacing the contents of the envelope in the opposite direction to free the edge portion for cutting without injury to the contents.

Shoe 32 has a resiliently yieldable association with the supporting means 40, corresponding to that described for shoe 3|, that is, shoe 32 has shanks 49 and 50 sliding longitudinally in bearings in housing 40, with a similar spring 5| and adjusting stop nut 52 for urging it to a desired position in the path of movement of the work. It will thus be seen that this shoe also has an independent, yieldable contact with the work, to accommodate its varying dimensions, and each of shoes 3| and 32 is thus positioned and controlled for its predetermined action upon the work without interference by the action of the other shoe. Shoe 3| is always in position for initial engagement with the advancing edge of the work and rises and falls with its passage without interference by movements of shoe 32, and the same is true of shoe 32, that is, its operation is independent of any interference by movements of shoe 3|.

Guide plate l8, at the opening therein through which disks l9 and 20 operate, is provided in advance of the point of cutting with an edge forming device 53 of the general character disclosed in said Patent No. 1,838,840, but its flanges 54 are cut back farther from the edge former point 55, to accommodate envelopes of the in creased range of thickness capable of being handled by the machine as a result of the improved presser devices described above. The forming of the envelope edge for cutting is assisted also by the spring finger 56 projecting adjacent the lower disk at the point of cutting, substantially as shown and described in said Patent No. 1,182,054, for cooperation with presser foot 32 in flattening and presenting the envelope edge in proper condition and position for cutting.

At 51 is the known guard, secured as by means of screws 58 on guide plate l8 and extending inwardly at its lower end, to aid in positioning the stack of envelopes for presentation to the feed belt and presser devices.

The driving means for the belt means and cutting mechanism is preferably of the known arrangement in which a motor 59 is suitably mounted within and on the walls of the main frame II, with its shaft and pulley 60 projecting at the rear side l4 of the frame. Pulley 60 carries a belt 6| which drives a pulley 62 fixed on the rear end of shaft 2| which carries and drives the lower cutting disk 20 and also the pulley 21 of the feed belt.

In operation, a stack of envelopes is placed upon the left hand end of work bed l5, against guard plates l8 and 51. The work bed carries a spur 63 for tilting the inner end of the stack downwardly to suitably present the inner end of the lowermost envelope. to the feeding belt. With the motor placed in operation by the switch 64, the lowermost envelope is drawn inwardly by the feed belt. The leadingedge of the envelope engages shoe 3! at its point 34 which swings the envelope, if necessary, to press its inner edge against guide plate I8. The envelope is then fed along the guide under shoe 3| which rises as the envelope thickness requires, while pressing the envelope down against the feeding belt, this action of shoe 3| being suited to its function as described, without interference from any position or movement of shoe 32. As the envelope progresses along the guide, it readily passes beneath the relieved forward end of shoe 32 and eventually is engaged by the rear portion of the shoe 32 which also holds the envelope in feeding contact with the belt and guides it in its further movement until it reaches the cutting mechanism.

' Shoe 32 is supported for this function by the means described, independently of any interference from shoe 3|, but the two shoes cooperate, of course, in holding the work in close contact with the feeding belt and guiding it through the machine. Y 2

As the envelope is fed toward the cutting mechanism, the described action of the feed belt presses and flattens the edge to be cut, against the guide plate I8, thereby tending to work the contents of the envelope back. from the edge to be out. This action is assisted by the turning and feeding movement of belt 26 on the lower face of the envelope, which tends to work the envelope toward the guide plate l8 and the cutting mechanism, relative to its contents. The rounded edge 48 of shoe 32 further contributes to this result by acting to squeeze or pinch the contents of a thick envelope back from the edge to be out. By these various means the edge to be cut is first spaced from the contents and flattened against the guide plate. Such flattened edge, however, is subsequently pressed down toward the plane of the envelope and extended for the cutting operation, by the action of the edge former 53 and its flanges 54, and by the coaction of shoe 32 and spring finger 56, with the result that the edge is conditioned for the cutting off of a strip depending in width upon the described adjustment of the cutting disks toward or from the guide plate.

The relatively short shoe 3|, and particularly its projection 34, engages the envelope at a point substantially opposite the initial contact of the envelope with the feeding belt, and thus at a point remote from the cutting mechanism. Shoe 32, on the other hand, engages the envelope beyond the projection 34 of shoe 3| and is shaped to maintain continuous pressure on it up to a point adjacent the cutting mechanism. The uniformity of contact of shoe 32 with the envelope is not interfered with by any tendency of projection 34 of the other shoe 3| to ride up and down with any uneven thickness of the envelope. It will be noted also that the range of movement through which the envelope is engaged by shoe 32 is substantially in rear of the point of engagement by shoe 3|, so that the envelope and its contents are relieved of pressure by shoe 3| opposite such range of movement, while being subjected to the described action of shoe 32, in working the contents of the envelope back from its edge and in conditioning and presenting the edge to the cutting disks which out 01f the edge strip and aid in feeding the envelope through the machine. Thus, while the presser shoes 3| and 32 operate simultaneouslyto press the work from opposite sides into contact with the feeding belt, they also perform successive functions at different portions of the work, which together contribute to and insure rapid and reliable cutting of the envelopes with automatic adaptation to substantial variations in thickness in the run of the mail.

It has been found that independent, articulated and sensitively flexible presser devices of the character described, materially increase the ability of the machine to guide, condition, and

reliably cut envelopes of varying thickness and,

bulk, ranging from a substantially empty envelope to one, say, half an inch thick, in the run of the mail, without adjustment of the machine. By this means, the thickness of envelopes which can be reliably handled is considerably multiplied, and the efiiciencyand capacity of the machine materially increased.

The invention thus accomplishes its purposes, and while the invention has been described, according to law, in the best mode of application now known, it is to be understood that such embodiment is intended by way of illustration, rather than by way of limitation, as it is further contemplated that the advantages of the invention may be accomplished by various embodiments of its principle, within the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

'1. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging one face of an envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser device on one side of said belt means for initial retarding engagement with a portion of said envelope to swing another portion thereof against said guide means, a second presser device on the other side of said belt means for engaging said envelope subsequently to the engagement thereof by said first device, said devices being independently mounted in said supporting means, and an independent, resilient means for pressing each of said devices toward said envelope.

2. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging one face of an envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the, combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser shoe on one side of said belt having relieved ends forming an intermediate part projecting into'the path of said envelope to serve as a fulcrum for swinging said envelope against said guide means, and a second presser shoe on the other side of said belt means, relieved adjacent its forward end and also along the side thereof adjacent said belt means, to facilitate the feeding of said envelope thereunder, said shoes being independently mounted in said supporting means, and an independent, resilient means for pressing each of said shoestoward said envelope.

3. In. an envelope opening machine comprising means for engaging one face of an envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting 5' mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of'a presser shoe on the side of said belt means opposite said guide'means and havingrelieved ends forming an intermediate part projecting into the path of said envelope to serve as a fulcrum for said belt means for" swinging "said envelope against said guide means, and a second presser shoe between said belt means and said guide means, relieved from its forward end. to a point in rear of said fulcrum and also along the side thereof adjacent said belt means, to facilitate the feeding of said envelope thereunder, said shoes being independently mounted in said supporting means, and an 20'- indep'endent, resilient means for pressing each of said shoes toward said envelope.

4. In an envelope opening machine comprising a work bed, a work guide, cutting mechanism, 7 and a belt for feeding the work toward and along 25 said guide to said" cutting mechanism, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser shoe depending on the side of said belt opposite said guide into the path of the work adjacent its initial engagementby said belt, a second presser shoe adjacent said guide having its forward end relieved to receive the work and its rear portion extending adjacent saidcutting mechanism in substantial parallelism with said a work path and relieved along the side thereof 'adjacent said belt, and a part on each of said shoes movably mounted on said supporting means and provided with spring means for pressing each shoe, independently of the other, toward and from the work.

5. In an envelope opening machine comprising a work bed, a work guide, cutting mechanism, and a belt for feeding the Work toward and along said guide to said cutting mechanism, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a .presser shoe depending on the side of said belt opposite said guide into the path of the work adjacent its initial, engagement by said belt, a second presser shoe adjacent said guide having its forward end relieved to receive the work and 2 its rear portion extending adjacent said cutting mechanism in substantial parallelism with said work path and relieved along the side thereof adjacent said belt, shank means on each of said shoes, bearings for said shank means in said supporting means, a spring for urging each of said shoes independently toward said work path, and an adjustable stop for limiting said shoe movement.

6. In an envelope opening machine comprising i a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and (1 belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser device 10- cated on one side of said belt means adjacent the point of initial contact thereof with the envelope for engagement with a portion of said To envelope to swing another portion thereof against said guide means, a second, separately constructed presser device located on the other side of said belt means adjacent the point of final contact thereof with the envelope, for conditioning the 75 envelope edge for said cutting mechanism, and

an independent, resiliently yieldable mounting on said supporting means for each of said devices.-

1 '7; 'In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing anenvelope tofisaid cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means" to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser device located on one side of said belt meansat a point spaced substantially in advance of said cutting,-

an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser device located on one side'of said bel-t means at a point substantially in advance of said cutting mechanism foraengagement with a'portion of said envelope to swing another portion thereof against said guide means, a second presser device located on the other side of said belt means and extending. substantially in rear of said first presser device for engaging said envelope subsequentlyto and independently of the engagement thereof by said first device, for conditioning the envelope edge for said cutting mechanism, and an independent, resiliently yieldable mounting in said supporting'means for each of said devices.

9. In an'envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser device located on one side of said belt means at a point substantially in advance of said cutting mechanism and formed with a projecting edge extending transversely of said belt means for engaging a portion of said envelope to swing another portion thereof against said guide means, a second presser device located, on the other side of said belt means and extending longitudinally of said belt adjacent said cutting mechanism, for conditioning the envelope edge for cutting thereby, and an independent, resiliently yieldable mount ingin said supporting means for supporting each of said devices for movement independently of the other. 10. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along and against said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a presser shoe located on that side only of said belt means opposite said guide means and adjacent the point of initial engagement of saidbelt means and.

envelope, a second presser shoe located on the side of said belt means adjacent said guide means and extending substantially in rear of said first shoe and adjacent said cutting mechanism, said shoes being separately constructed and independently mounted in said supporting means, and spring means for pressing each of said shoes separately and independently toward the envelope.

11. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with a hollow supporting housing on said machine, of

a presser shoe located on one side of said belt' means adjacent the point of initial engagement of the envelope therewith, and serving as a pivot to swing said envelope against said guide means, a second presser shoe located on the other side of said belt means and formed with a portion extending longitudinally of said belt means substantially in rear of said first shoe adjacent saidmeans on said machine, of a presser shoe located on one side of said belt means and relieved at its rear end to form a projecting portion extending transversely of said belt means adjacent the point of initial engagement thereof with the envelope, and a second presser shoe located on the other side of said belt means and relieved at its forward end and having its rear end extending adjacent said cutting mechanism for conditioning the envelope edge for cutting thereby, said shoes being independently constructed and mounted in said supporting means and each provided with spring means for moving the same, independently of the other, into engagement with the envelope.

13. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said'cutting mechanism and belt, means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a pair of separate presser shoes located on opposite sides of said belt means and one in advance of the other, one of said shoes being adapted to engage and aline said envelope with said guide means, and the other of said shoes being adapted to subsequently engage said envelope and condition an edge thereof for said cutting mechanism, each of said shoes having an independent, resiliently yieldable mounting in said supporting means for pressing it against said envelope independently of the other of said shoes.

14. In an envelope opening machine comprising a cutting mechanism, guide means for directing an envelope to said cutting mechanism, belt means for engaging said envelope to feed it along said guide means to said cutting mechanism, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt means, the combination with supporting means on said machine, of a pair of separate presser shoes located on opposite sides of said belt means and one in advance of the other, one of said shoes being adapted to engage and aline said envelope with said guide means, and the other of said shoes being adapted to subsequently engage said envelope and condition an edge thereof for said cutting mechanism, each-of said shoes having posts slidably mounted in said supporting means and provided with spring means for pressing the same toward said envelope independently of the other of said shoes.

LEON w. LAWRENCE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,220,2 1. November 191m.

LEON W. LAWRENCE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page L first column, lines 58 and 59, claimlp, strike out the words "and from".;vand that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of December, A. D. 1914.0.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

